Controlling Footnote Placement in Microsoft Word

In Word, footnotes can be placed either at the bottom of a page or at the bottom of the text appearing on the page. While this may not seem to be a big difference, it typically comes into play on the last page of a document. The final page may actually end after only a couple lines, sentences, or paragraphs. If you choose to have footnotes placed at the bottom of the page, a large white area may appear between the text and the first footnote on the page. If, instead, you place them at the bottom of the text, the first footnote will appear right after the final text on the page.

To specify where Word places footnotes on a page, follow these steps:

1. Display the Reference tab of the ribbon.2. Click the small arrow icon at the bottom-right of the Footnotes group. Word displays the Footnote and Endnote dialog box.3. Make sure the Footnotes radio button is selected. (See Figure 1.)

The tips, tricks, and ideas on WordRibbon.Tips.Net are designed for users of Word versions starting with Word 2007. You'll find just about everything you need to become productive with the program right away. (If you need help with older versions of Word, visit the WordTips site.)
Don't worry; all the tips on WordRibbon.Tips.Net are free, and more are added all the time. Check back often for the latest and greatest tips.